Audi's March 2014 U.S. Sales Surge 19% and Record Second Highest Monthly Total Ever While Extending Streak to 40 Consecutive Months of Record Sales - A3 Sedan Sells Over 2,000 Units in First Month

April marks the 40th consecutive record month of sales, with more than 15,000 vehicles sold

- Strong demand for all-new Audi A3, as well as premium segment vehicles, led sales growth

HERNDON, Va., May 1, 2014 – Audi reported April 2014 sales of 15,653 vehicles, which stands as the brand’s 40th consecutive month of record monthly sales and second-best month ever. Audi sales year-to-date increased 7.5% to 50,881 vehicles sold.

“The launch of the all-new A3 Sedan gives Audi an even broader product portfolio and the opportunity to reach more luxury buyers in the premium compact segment,” said Mark Del Rosso, Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer, Audi of America. “In its first month of retail sales, the Audi A3 was a top seller in April, with over 2,000 vehicles sold.”

Luxury sedan sales remained strong as the Audi A6 increased 11.9% to 2,132 vehicles sold for the month, while year-to-date demand for the A6 increased 20.5% to 7,568 vehicles sold. Sales of the Audi A7 rose 26.5% in April to 816 vehicles sold, while demand for the A7 increased 7.1% to 2,922 vehicles sold YTD.

April results were bolstered by sales of Audi luxury SUVs, with the Audi Q7 luxury crossover posting a 23.6% gain in April on 1,462 units delivered for the month and year-to-date sales increased 35.9% to a total of 5,551 vehicles. Year-to-date sales for the Audi Q5 crossover increased 5.5% YOY.

April 2014 was the 9th consecutive record month for Audi Certified pre-owned vehicles sales with an increase of 13.7%, to a total of 3,702 CPO vehicles sold in the most-recent month, and a year-to-date increase of 13.8%.
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Car4Life - 5/1/2014 12:34:52 PM

0 Boost

Solid Numbers for A6 & Q5. I'm surprised the A3 did not have a stronger launch given Audi's Aggressive push via parties at dealers on East & West Coast.

The CLA sold 4,895 units in its first full month on Sale. Well at least the A3 won't have any inventory issues.

cidflekken - 5/1/2014 1:33:42 PM

+2 Boost

Yes, a bit surprised at the A3 sales, but I'm sure it will gain momentum.

Maybe instead of encroaching on A4 sales, it's actually serving to boost it. Notice the trend for the A4 this year is downward, yet this month it picked up again. So, it's possible the advertising push for the A3 moved traffic into showrooms, but, when all is said and done, buyers felt the better value (only a $4k price difference in base models of A3 and A4) is the A4, especially with the A3's much smaller trunk and the A4's better interior and, subjectively, the A4's better exterior proportions. Will be interesting to see how the year maps out for both cars, until the new A4 is introduced.

GermanNut - 5/1/2014 12:37:56 PM

+1 Boost

Make that April sales not March. The A3 had a strong month and ai'd expect numbers to pick up as more and more people get to experience the car and see it on the road.

DTMFan - 5/1/2014 12:53:40 PM

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Noticed an A3 saloon parked up for the first time yesterday, personally it doesn't do too much for me style wise, it looks like an A4 - just not as well proportioned, but it will sell in absolute boat loads in my area, that's for sure.

DTMFan - 5/1/2014 12:55:10 PM

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Meant to add that here in the UK Rotek race an A3/S3 in the BTCC, it seemed to get a lot of interest from the crowds.

gkearns56 - 5/1/2014 2:37:03 PM

+1 Boost

The new A3 may be a little conservative, but I'd drive one of these long before I would the new MB CLA. The magazine been saying: LOUD inside, interior feels cheap, rides rough (and I personally don't like the contorted nose). Wife has a MB GLK, but the E class and CLA look like the front end is melting??

gkearns56 - 5/1/2014 2:37:55 PM

+1 Boost

And I'm still loving my Audi A6er.

GermanNut - 5/1/2014 3:16:45 PM

+2 Boost

I would fully expect the A3 Sedan's numbers to increase over the remainder of the year. As more people see the car and become familiar with it, they will go into showrooms asking about it specifically. Audi will also be able to produce more units to help meet this increased demand.

It will be very interesting to see how Audi matched its production forecast to the expected demand. If it did a better job than Mercedes-Benz and its CLA, it could mean a sharp increase for the A3 Sedan as potential CLA buyers decide not to wait 3 months for a custom-built CLA and instead opt for the A3 Sedan, which they can buy and drive on the spot.

GermanNut - 5/1/2014 3:24:22 PM

+2 Boost

The Audi A3 Sedan outsold the Mercedes-Benz CLA for April. The CLA recorded 1,575 units sold whereas the A3 Sedan was over 2,000 units.

Looks like Mercedes-Benz's failure to accurately match its supply with the market's demand for the CLA and thus create a huge waiting list has already caused potential buyers to purchase an Audi A3 Sedan instead.

cidflekken - 5/1/2014 6:06:01 PM

0 Boost

LOL. Well, I certainly would hope that a brand new product, with the intense advertising push that it's received would outsell almost everything and everthing in its segment the first few months out.

And I'm sure Mercedes isn't so worried. Creating waiting lists for a high-demand car is a problem any car company would love to have. If anything, they're still drinking the champagne from all of the beyond-forecast sales that they're experiencing.

JRobUSC - 5/1/2014 7:56:08 PM

+3 Boost

wasn't the first month of CLA sales something like 4000 units?

WelcomeLexusIS - 5/2/2014 7:43:38 AM

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Nothing against the A3, but it seems very unlikely that someone who wants a CLA, an iconoclastic car, would buy an A3 which is pretty much the opposite, just because there is a waiting list for the CLA.

arrowmg - 5/1/2014 11:00:26 PM

+1 Boost

what cptlou said lol

WelcomeLexusIS - 5/2/2014 7:48:45 AM

+1 Boost

Especially, the GLI version. I also read that the A3 2.0T is not as well balanced, handling wise, as it should be and that the smaller output engine is much more fun to drive, even though it is slower.

cptlou - 5/1/2014 5:57:17 PM

+3 Boost

Get laid more? oh and it a better specced out car.

GermanNut - 5/2/2014 10:36:28 AM

+1 Boost

Yes, The CLA sold 4,000 units in its first month because there was no competition. Now look, the first month the A3 Sedan launches, the CLA's sales drop by more than half because there is a competitor and Mercedes-Benz's huge waiting list due to its error in matching supply with demand has likely caused a lot of prospective buyers to purchase an A3 Sedan instead.

cidflekken - 5/2/2014 12:42:03 PM

+1 Boost

No, the CLA's sales were already starting to level off well before the A3 was introduced. January through March sales were 2700, 1900, 1700, respectively. Don't give the A3 more credit than it's due. The reality is, the CLA is a niche product, just like the CLS, so it's not expected to sell in high volumes. Thus, the missed forecast by Benz.

What I find odd, Nuttie, is that you are reveling in the fact that potential CLA buyers MIGHT be coming over to the A3 due to long wait times. So, are you happy that Audi gets Mercedes' leftovers by default, and not by desire?

GermanNut - 5/2/2014 3:06:08 PM

+1 Boost

No, I laugh at Mercedes-Benz for miscalculating the demand of the CLA and the consequences (long waiting list and potentially dismayed customers) that now have the opportunity to walk right on over to an Audi dealer and get an A3 Sedan right then and there instead of waiting 3 months like they would at Mercedes-Benz.

The A3 Sedan is a strong enough product on its own that it has the potential to win over CLA buyers.

This miscalculation will hurt Mercedes-Benz because by the time they increase production to meet demand the A3 Sedan will be in full sales swing and its advantages over the CLA will be widely apparent in the marketplace.

Audi made the right move in designing the A3 as an uncompromised entry-level sedan with ample rear-seat head and leg room (when compared to the CLA) and providing more standard equipment.